Can I wear colored contact lenses for Halloween?
Yes, with a fitting first. Every contact lens is a prescription medical device, whether it corrects your vision or only changes your eye color. At Aker Eye in Titusville, all four of our optometrists fit colored contacts, at Downtown and at Playalinda. The fitting checks that the lens sits right on your eye before you wear colored contacts to a party.
This is everyday work for us. About one exam in five at our offices is a contact lens fitting, and colored contact lenses get the same care as any other. The costume is the fun part. Our job is to protect your eye health so the night ends with nothing more than a good story.
Are costume shop contact lenses safe?
Not the way most of them are sold. Non prescription colored contacts turn up every October at costume shops, novelty stores, and online retailers that never ask for a contact lens prescription. The lens may look fine in the package. The trouble starts on the eye.
- A lens that does not fit. Every eye has its own curve. A one-size lens can sit too tight or slide around, and a lens that rubs can scratch the front of the eye.
- Shared contacts. Trying on a friend's lens passes germs from one eye to another, even if the lens was rinsed first.
- Sleeping in them. A lens that is not made for overnight wear cuts the oxygen reaching the cornea and raises the risk of eye infections.
- No one to show you how. Nobody teaches you to put the lens in, take it out, or keep it clean, and no eye doctor checks on your eyes afterward.
None of that means you have to skip the costume. It means you should buy colored contacts from an eye doctor who has looked at your eyes first.
How do colored contacts change your eye color?
It depends on the tint. A see-through tint sits over the colored part of your eye, the iris, and deepens what is already there. It works best on light eyes. An opaque tint covers the iris with a solid color, so it can completely change your natural eye color, even on dark eyes. Many costume looks use an opaque tint.
Which shade is best comes down to your natural eye color and the look you want. Bring a photo of the costume to your eye exam. We will tell you which colored contacts we can fit and what your eyes will look like in them. A lens with no vision correction is called plano, and it still needs the same fitting as a lens with power.
Costume shop lenses or prescription colored contacts: what is the difference?
The color can look the same from across the room. What happens on your eye is where the two part ways.
| Costume shop or novelty store | Fitted at Aker Eye | |
|---|---|---|
| How it fits | One size for every eye | Measured to the curve and size of your cornea, then checked on your eye under the slit lamp |
| Vision correction | Usually none | Your own prescription, including toric contacts for astigmatism |
| Putting them in | On your own, in front of a mirror | Practice with us before you leave, and nobody hurries that part |
| Cleaning | Whatever the package says | A care routine written for the contacts you chose |
| Follow-up | None | An eye doctor who knows your eyes if anything feels wrong |
| Reordering | Another trip to the store | Order contact lenses online in a few minutes from the prescription on file |
Colored contacts from a costume shop next to prescription colored contacts fitted at Aker Eye
How does a colored contact lens fitting work?
A contact lens fitting is a comprehensive eye exam plus a few extra measurements. It is the same visit whether you want blue eyes for a weekend or clear vision every day.
- 1
Tell us the look you want
When you book, say you want colored contacts and describe the costume. We will tell you what we can fit for your eyes.
- 2
We measure your eye
We measure the curve and size of your cornea and look at your tear film, since dry eyes may need a different lens.
- 3
A trial lens goes on
We check how it centers and moves, and we measure your vision through it. If it is not the right fit, we try another.
- 4
You practice with us
You put the lens in and take it out with us before you go home, and you leave with care instructions for that lens.
Need vision correction too? Prescription colored contacts carry your own power, so you can see the party as well as look the part. An eye that has never held a regular lens well may need a specialty contact lens fitting instead.
Can I get colored contacts for astigmatism?
Often, yes. Astigmatism means the front of the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. Toric lenses correct it, and a toric lens has to sit in one position and stay put when you blink. If it turns, your vision blurs.
That is why colored contacts for astigmatism need a careful fitting. We put the toric contacts on your eye, watch how they settle, and check that your vision stays steady before you take a box home. Whether a colored toric lens suits your eye and your prescription is something we answer at the fitting. If one does not, we will tell you plainly and talk through other options.
How far ahead of Halloween should I book a contact lens fitting?
Call as soon as you know you want them. The lenses have to be ordered after the fitting, and you want time to practice putting them in before the big night, not an hour before it.
October fills up. Our own appointment records from September 2025 through August 2026 show contact lens fitting and pickup visits running about a quarter above a usual month in October. The earlier you call, the more times you will have to choose from.
About one appointment in eight on our schedule is booked online, so you can pick a fitting time tonight after the costume shopping is done. You can book online any hour, or call us at (321) 269-2021, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. On the first and third Wednesday of the month both offices open at 10am instead of 8am.
Already wear contact lenses? Your contact lens prescription is good for a year in most cases, but it names your current lens. Colored lenses are a different lens, so we still want to see them on your eye.
How do I take care of colored contacts?
The same way you care for any contact lenses. A few habits keep the night easy on your eyes.
- Wash and dry your hands before you touch a lens.
- Keep your contacts to yourself, even for a quick try at the party.
- Take them out before bed, unless we fitted you in a lens made for overnight wear.
- Clean and store them the way we showed you, in a clean case.
- Bring them to your next visit if they feel dry or scratchy, so we can look at the lens and your eye together.
Redness, blurred vision, new light sensitivity, or pain that will not settle are all reasons to call, lens in or not. Same-day visits run higher in October than in any other month on our schedule, so we keep room for them every day we are open. Our emergency eye care visits happen at both offices, and most of them are treated right in the exam chair.
Who fits colored contacts in Titusville?
All four of our doctors, at both offices. Dr. Greg Aker and Dr. Amanda Aker fit them Downtown, at 338 S Washington Ave, on the second floor with an elevator. Dr. Sarah Koehnemann and Dr. Jennifer Bradley fit them at Playalinda, 1114 S Washington Ave, all on one floor. For a teenager who wants contacts for a costume, ask for Dr. Bradley, whose residency was in pediatrics.
Many vision plans give you a yearly allowance toward contact lenses, and some pay part of the fitting. We check your benefits before your visit, so you hear the number before you sit down. No vision plan? Ask for the self-pay fitting fee when you call, and we will quote it.
